Abstract: A method of processing a sensor element includes the steps of: (a) preparing a gas atmosphere containing hydrocarbon, having an air-fuel ratio of 0.80 to 0.9999, and having a small amount of oxidizing gas added thereto; and (b) subjecting a sensor element to a heat treatment in the gas atmosphere at a temperature of 500° C. or higher for 15 minutes or longer. The sensor element includes an electrochemical pumping cell constituted of an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte and an electrode having a NOx reduction ability. A NOx gas in a measurement gas is reduced or decomposed in the electrode. A NOx concentration in the measurement gas is obtained based on a current which flows in the electrochemical pumping cell at a time of the reduction or decomposition.

Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus includes: an advancement direction travel control unit that performs travel control in an advancement direction by applying at least one of a driving force and a braking force to a vehicle; an execution determination unit that determines whether or not the travel control in the advancement direction is being executed by the advancement direction travel control unit; and a driving assistance unit that performs driving assistance on the basis of a travel condition in the advancement direction of the vehicle, wherein the driving assistance unit suppresses the driving assistance when the execution determination unit determines that the travel control in the advancement direction is being executed by the advancement direction travel control unit.

Abstract: A gas sensor element, wherein an amount of flexure in a first section extending in a longitudinal direction of the sensor element from the position 8/27 of a size of the element apart from one end of the element to the other end, is set to be greater than or equal to 1/1360 and less than or equal to 1/670 with respect to the size in the longitudinal direction of the element. The amount of flexure is a sum of a distance from a regression line to an upper side maximum displacement point and a distance from the regression line to a lower side maximum displacement point when calculating the regression line representing the relation of the position X in the longitudinal direction of the element and the displacement Y in a thickness direction from a plurality of data sets showing the relation of position X and displacement Y.

Abstract: A method of forming a laminated body includes a first lamination step of forming a preceding lamination sheet which is substantially treated as one green sheet initially by laminating and bonding at least two green sheets together out of a plurality of green sheets; a printing step of printing a predetermined pattern on the preceding lamination sheet and at least one non-preceding lamination sheet which is a not used for forming the preceding lamination sheet; and a second lamination step of laminating and bonding the preceding lamination sheet and non-preceding lamination sheet, on which the predetermined pattern is printed in the printing step, in a predetermined order.

Abstract: A gas sensor element, wherein an amount of flexure in a first section extending in a longitudinal direction of the sensor element from the position 8/27 of a size of the element apart from one end of the element to the other end, is set to be greater than or equal to 1/1360 and less than or equal to 1/670 with respect to the size in the longitudinal direction of the element. The amount of flexure is a sum of a distance from a regression line to an upper side maximum displacement point and a distance from the regression line to a lower side maximum displacement point when calculating the regression line representing the relation of the position X in the longitudinal direction of the element and the displacement Y in a thickness direction from a plurality of data sets showing the relation of position X and displacement Y.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a steering assistance apparatus which can accurately detect a curve exit of a running path and perform steering assistance control with an excellent running path following capability. The steering assistance apparatus of the present invention is a steering assistance apparatus 1 for providing a steering mechanism with a steering torque such that a vehicle runs along a running path according to an image capturing the running path in front of the vehicle, which estimates a curve direction of the running path by processing the image, estimates a steering direction of a driver of the vehicle according to a steering operation of the driver, and determines that the vehicle is running through a curve exit according to a fact that the estimated curve direction and steering direction do not coincide with each other. This makes it possible to determine the curve exit of the running path accurately and perform appropriate steering assistance control.

Abstract: A method of processing a sensor element includes the steps of: (a) preparing a gas atmosphere containing hydrocarbon, having an air-fuel ratio of 0.80 to 0.9999, and having a small amount of oxidizing gas added thereto; and (b) subjecting a sensor element to a heat treatment in the gas atmosphere at a temperature of 500° C. or higher for 15 minutes or longer. The sensor element includes an electrochemical pumping cell constituted of an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte and an electrode having a NOx reduction ability. A NOx gas in a measurement gas is reduced or decomposed in the electrode. A NOx concentration in the measurement gas is obtained based on a current which flows in the electrochemical pumping cell at a time of the reduction or decomposition.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a steering assistance apparatus which can accurately detect a curve exit of a running path and perform steering assistance control with an excellent running path following capability. The steering assistance apparatus of the present invention is a steering assistance apparatus 1 for providing a steering mechanism with a steering torque such that a vehicle runs along a running path according to an image capturing the running path in front of the vehicle, which estimates a curve direction of the running path by processing the image, estimates a steering direction of a driver of the vehicle according to a steering operation of the driver, and determines that the vehicle is running through a curve exit according to a fact that the estimated curve direction and steering direction do not coincide with each other. This makes it possible to determine the curve exit of the running path accurately and perform appropriate steering assistance control.

Abstract: A gas sensor element, wherein an amount of flexure in a first section extending in a longitudinal direction of the sensor element from the position 8/27 of a size of the element apart from one end of the element to the other end, is set to be greater than or equal to 1/1360 and less than or equal to 1/670 with respect to the size in the longitudinal direction of the element. The amount of flexure is a sum of a distance from a regression line to an upper side maximum displacement point and a distance from the regression line to a lower side maximum displacement point when calculating the regression line representing the relation of the position X in the longitudinal direction of the element and the displacement Y in a thickness direction from a plurality of data sets showing the relation of position X and displacement Y.

Abstract: A method of forming a laminated body includes a first lamination step of forming a preceding lamination sheet which is substantially treated as one green sheet by laminating and bonding at least two green sheets out of a plurality of green sheets with predetermined pattern printed thereon; a printing step of printing a predetermined pattern on the preceding lamination sheet and at least one non-preceding lamination sheet which is a not used for forming the preceding lamination sheet; and a second lamination step of laminating and bonding the preceding lamination sheet and non-preceding lamination sheet, on which the predetermined pattern is printed in the printing step, in a predetermined order.

Abstract: A table for a wafer polishing apparatus having superior heat-resistant, anti-thermal-shock, and anti-abrasion characteristics and capable of increasing the diameter of a semiconductor wafer while improving the quality of the wafer. The table (2) includes a plurality of superimposed bases (11) each of which is formed of silicide ceramic or carbide ceramic. The bases (11) are joined together by an adhesive layer (14). A fluid passage (12) is formed in a joining interface between the bases (11).

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a wafer holding plate for a wafer grinding apparatus wherein the plate includes a substrate having a wafer adhering surface to which a semiconductor wafer is adhered by an adhesive. The wafer adhering surface includes a mirror-like surface portion and a groove pattern, which anchors the adhesive. When the plate is used for grinding wafers, the quality and accuracy of the finished wafers is greatly improved.

Abstract: A table for a wafer polishing apparatus having superior heat-resistant, anti-thermal-shock, and anti-abrasion characteristics and capable of increasing the diameter of a semiconductor wafer while improving the quality of the wafer. The table includes a plurality of superimposed bases each of which is formed of silicide ceramic or carbide ceramic. The bases are joined together by an adhesive layer. A fluid passage is formed in a joining interface between the bases.

Abstract: A table for a wafer polishing apparatus having superior heat-resistant, anti-thermal-shock, and anti-abrasion characteristics and capable of increasing the diameter of a semiconductor wafer while improving the quality of the wafer. The table includes a plurality of superimposed bases each of which is formed of silicide ceramic or carbide ceramic. The bases are joined together by an adhesive layer. A fluid passage is formed in a joining interface between the bases.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a wafer holding plate for a wafer grinding apparatus wherein the plate includes a substrate having a wafer adhering surface to which a semiconductor wafer is adhered by an adhesive. The wafer adhering surface includes a mirror-like surface portion and a groove pattern, which anchors the adhesive. When the plate is used for grinding wafers, the quality and accuracy of the finished wafers is greatly improved.

Abstract: A wafer holding plate for a wafer grinding apparatus. The plate includes a substrate having a wafer adhering surface to which a semiconductor wafer is adhered by an adhesive. The wafer adhering surface includes a mirror-like surface portion and a groove pattern, which anchors the adhesive. When the plate is used for grinding wafers, the quality and accuracy of the finished wafers is greatly improved.

Abstract: A wafer holding plate for a wafer grinding apparatus. The plate includes a substrate having a wafer adhering surface to which a semiconductor wafer is adhered by an adhesive. The wafer adhering surface includes a mirror-like surface portion and a groove pattern, which anchors the adhesive. When the plate is used for grinding wafers, the quality and accuracy of the finished wafers is greatly improved.

Abstract: A wafer holding plate for a wafer grinding apparatus. The plate includes a substrate having a wafer adhering surface to which a semiconductor wafer is adhered by an adhesive. The wafer adhering surface includes a mirror-like surface portion and a groove pattern, which anchors the adhesive. When the plate is used for grinding wafers, the quality and accuracy of the finished wafers is greatly improved.

Abstract: Microprocessors use a conditional branch instruction so as to change processing in accordance with conditions. According to the prior art, a NOP instruction, which causes no operation, is used when a condition is satisfied, and the use of the NOP instruction inevitably lengthens the processing time. According to the present invention, a conditional transfer instruction is included in the instruction set of a microprocessor, and a flag decoder is additionally employed. The flag decoder determines whether a condition is satisfied or not, and outputs a control signal on the basis of the determination. The control signal is supplied to the instruction decoder of the processor to make a data transfer operation effective or ineffective. Accordingly, it is not necessary to use a NOP instruction, and the processing time can be as short as possible.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel speech coding system which recursively executes a filter-applied "Toeplitz characteristic" by causing a drive signal (i.e., an excitation signal) to be converted into a "Toeplitz matrix" when detecting a pitch period in which distortion of the input vector and the vector subsequent to the application of filter-applied computation to the drive signal vector in the pitch forecast called either "closed loop" or "compatible code book" is minimized. The vector quantization method substantially making up the speech coding system of the invention is characteristically used by the system.